Kramer will assume his new role on July 18, with Hudson remaining as an adviser during the transition period.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has named Bill Kramer, the current director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, as its new CEO, following the departure of Dawn Hudson after 11 years of service.
Kramer will lead the global membership, the Oscars, the institution’s education and emerging talent initiatives, the Academy’s extensive collections housed in the Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, and the Academy Museum and its ongoing calendar of exhibitions, screenings, educational and public programmes, and retail operations.
In his current role, Kramer was responsible for opening the Academy Museum in September 2021. The museum has sold more than 550,000 tickets in its first nine months of operation. Under Kramer’s direction, the museum developed five floors of world-class exhibitions devoted to the arts and sciences of moviemaking and formalised channels between Academy members and the museum for overall content creation.
In addition, Kramer and his museum team developed the Academy’s first permanent retail store, both in the museum and online, generating sales of more than $5.5m to date. Under Kramer’s leadership, the museum created the Academy’s first global publications imprint that launched with a Hayao Miyazaki catalogue, which is currently in its fourth print run, and with a Spike Lee book to be issued this month. Kramer and the museum’s programming team developed the Academy’s first robust public screenings series with more than 40 programmes presented each month, including Branch Selects, a screening series co-created with the Academy’s 17 member branches.
Speaking about the appointment, Academy President David Rubin said: “Bill Kramer has been a transformational leader in establishing the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as a beacon for movie lovers and a manifestation of everything the Academy represents and celebrates. His vision for the Academy’s future is likewise bold and inspiring, and our governors have agreed he is the ideal choice to lead at this pivotal moment for the organization. We believe Bill has the ability to bring together all corners of the motion picture community, and we’re thrilled to have him in this role to elevate the organization and unite our global membership. I cannot stress enough the deep respect and appreciation we have for the groundbreaking achievements Dawn Hudson has brought to the Academy during her eleven years as CEO. She initiated unprecedented efforts to create more space for diverse voices, both within the membership and our industry. She was tireless in shepherding our long-awaited museum to its opening and has fortified the Academy’s financial stability, allowing us to develop programs and provide mentoring for those in front of and behind the camera. Our gratitude for her accomplishments and guidance is beyond measure.”
Hudson added: “What a privilege it’s been to work with an exceptionally talented staff and dedicated board members to create a truly global institution, a world-class museum that honours this art form so beautifully, an abiding commitment to representation and inclusion, and a modern organisation ready to lead in a changing world. I’ve worked with Bill for close to a decade, and no executive is more innovative, more connected to artists, or more passionate about the opportunities that lie ahead than he is. The Academy and the Academy Museum are in the best of hands.”
Chair of the Academy Museum Board of Trustees and Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos stated: “The Academy Museum Board of Trustees is thrilled that Bill will be continuing his work with us as the CEO of the Academy and as a Trustee of the Museum Board. The museum’s opening has been a resounding success, and I look forward to working with Bill to help further amplify the museum’s robust programs and create a unifying and strategic vision for the future.”
Bill Kramer noted: “It is the great honour of my career to take on the role as CEO of the Academy. I deeply believe in the power and artistry of cinema. I so look forward to galvanizing the unparalleled assets of the Academy—the Oscars, our global community of more than 10,000 Academy members, and our museum, library, and archive—to promote and elevate the arts and sciences of the movies and inspire the next generation of filmmakers. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and for the incredible work of my colleagues Brendan Connell, Jr and Jacqueline Stewart, who will continue the exceptional work of the Academy Museum.”
During his earlier tenure as managing director of the Academy Museum, Kramer served as the chief planning, public relations, advancement, exhibitions, and government relations officer for the museum’s pre-construction phase, leading the project’s fundraising campaign and managing the project’s public approvals process.
Prior to returning to the Academy Museum in 2019, Kramer served as vice president of development at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), one of America’s most institutionally and programmatically diverse arts institutions, where he led a 45-person team tasked with raising significant private and government funding, overseeing a visual art expansion programme, and platforming BAM’s growing film programme to an international audience.
